National links: For a flat fee, get around this German city by bike, car, or transit

Augsburg is the first German city to charge a flat rate for transit and other modes. Democrats don’t want to talk about how destructive cars are. Quito, Ecuador gets a new subway line—and it’s an engineering marvel.

A flat rate for transportation: Augsburg will be the first German city to offer a monthly mobility flat rate. The €79 fee (around $87 in US dollars) will cover unlimited bus and rail trips along with 30-minute shared bike rides. It also includes 15 hours of car share per month up to 150km through a larger package will include up to 30 hours. If the trial is successful, the program will be expanded to areas outside the city. (Intelligent Transport)

Are Democrats afraid to take on cars?: No 2020 Democratic primary candidates have yet proposed any policies for reversing the rise of driving in the United States. In July, the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee passed a $287B highway bill. It’s the largest transportation spending package in history, will primarily fund the construction of new roads. With climate crisis looming, Democrats need to integrate decreasing vehicle miles traveled if they wish to meet environmental goals. (Michael Hobbes | Huffington Post)

Quito’s ambitious transport projects: Quito, Ecuador will open a new subway line in 2020. Located in a valley high in the Andes, difficult topography makes subway development truly an engineering marvel. The new line will run 23 kilometers along 15 stops. The city is also moving its airport to the northeastern outskirts of the city, converting the old airport in the city center into a public park and convention center. (Jeff Andrews | Curbed)

Houston bets on growing up: Just in 2019 alone, Houston is projected to add roughly 16,000 housing units, with another 23,000 in the pipeline. Many of these units are part of the high-rise construction boom that is transforming areas into walkable neighborhoods. The city’s worsening congestion and Hurricane Harvey flooding have pushed Houston to mull more compact and vertical strategies. Apartment demand is so high in Houston that the market is forecast to run out of units by early 2020. (Patrick Sisson | Curbed)

The pushback against Oregon’s zoning reform: Tensions are rising over Oregon House Bill 2001, which will effectively end single-family zoning in most Oregon cities. HB 2001 requires cities to come up with an implementation plan by the end of next year, though some cities are pushing back. The Willamette Week unpacks how three cities—West Linn, Lake Oswego, and Portland—are wrestling with the legislation. (Nigel Jaquiss | Willamette Week)

Quote of the Week

“We also find that if you live in a walkable city, you feel like you belong. You feel like you have a community, and that feeling also predicts whether or not you’re going to be moving up the economic ladder.”

University of Virginia researcher Nicholas Buttrick discussing a new study looking at connections between walkable cities and upward mobility.

This week on the podcast, staff from Sound Transit in Seattle discuss their approach to Transit-Oriented Development.